Posted on the Phoenix Business Journal Blog by Patrick O’Grady (Managing Editor) – on August 14 2013 at 6:40am MST

A new group of solar companies has formed to take a more active role in advocating for consumers.

The Arizona Solar Deployment Alliance was formed by five Arizona-based solar companies as an answer to what they saw as several groups that were more focused on the industry than the people buying their product, said Sean Seitz, president of American Solar Electric in Scottsdale.

Along with American Solar, others in the group are Harmon Solar, Sun Valley Solar Solutions, Arizona Solar Concepts and Technicians for Sustainability.

Seitz said the group already is involved in several high-profile issues in the state, including the discussions on how solar users are paid by utilities for excess power they produce and whether Arizona deregulates its electric utility industry.

The group plans to be active with the Arizona Legislature and the Arizona Corporation Commission among others, Seitz said.

The group began informally as American Solar was one of the companies fending off a legislative effort several years ago to make nuclear power part of the state’s renewable energy portfolio. Those efforts eventually coalesced this spring as the five companies formed the ASDA.

While there are several industry-related groups existing in Arizona, including the Arizona Solar Energy Industries Association, ASDA sees an opportunity present solar from a different point of view.

“There is incredible potential for industry expansion in sustainable technologies and with that comes exponential job growth,” said Dan King, treasurer of ASDA and chief operating officer of Harmon Solar. “These are good jobs with high salaries, all of which contribute to what we as a state have been trying to create for years: a healthy, diversified economy.”

Several other groups have cropped up recently in an effort to promote solar in the state better as industry insiders believe it is being pushed to the side of Arizona’s energy choices.